Actors In Only Fools And Horses

Right, grab a cuppa and a Jaffa Cake, because we’re about to dive into the wonderfully dodgy world of the Trotters. Only Fools and Horses isn’t just a sitcom; it’s a national treasure wrapped in a shell-suit. Let’s talk about the absolute legends who brought Peckham’s finest to life.

First up, the man, the myth, the Del Boy. David Jason didn’t just play a market trader; he became a lifestyle. Did you know Jason was 35 years old when he first put on that gold chain? He was already a respected actor, but Del Boy made him a deity.

Here’s a cracking fact: Jason based Del’s famous laugh on a real wheezing goose he once heard. No, seriously. He thought it sounded like a man who’d just sold a dodgy toaster for a tenner. The “Joey” catchphrase? Almost didn’t happen—the writers added it last minute.

Then there’s Rodney, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst. Lyndhurst was a seasoned child actor, but Rodney made him a household name. Off-screen, he’s famously private and, unlike his character, never suffered a single “plonker” moment in real life.

Fun fact: Lyndhurst and Jason had such incredible chemistry that they’d often improvise whole scenes. The “chandelier” disaster in “Yuppy Love” was mostly ad-libbed. When Del fell through, Jason’s shriek of panic was genuine—the stunt went wrong, and he actually hurt himself.

Uncle Albert: The Man Who Fought the War… and the Boredom

Buster Merryfield played Uncle Albert with such weary perfection. Merryfield was actually a former bank manager who retired and decided acting looked more fun than spreadsheets. He’d never done comedy before, making his deadpan delivery even more impressive.

Here’s the heartbreaker: Buster had a fear of water in real life. Every time Albert told a war story about being “at sea,” Buster was secretly dreading the swimming pool. The crew had to use a shallow paddling pool for his scenes.

Grandad: The Original Pensioner with a Plan

Lennard Pearce, who played Grandad, was a stage actor with a voice that could curdle milk. He was 66 years old when the show started, and he’d often forget his lines on purpose to keep the cast on their toes. David Jason once said Pearce’s “rambling” speeches were 40% script and 60% genuine confusion.

Tragically, Pearce died suddenly after the 1983 Christmas special. The producers wrote Grandad’s death into the show, giving us the tear-jerking episode “A Touch of Glass.” The cast cried for real during the funeral scene—they were mourning him.

Cassandra and Raquel: The Women Who Tamed the Plonkers

Glynnis Barber played Cassandra, Rodney’s terrifyingly intelligent wife. Barber was a classically trained Shakespearean actress who had to “dumb down” her acting to play a normal person. She once joked that Cassandra’s constant sighing was just her real reaction to Lyndhurst’s terrible puns off-camera.

Only Fools and Horses - Full Cast & Crew - TV Guide

Tessa Peake-Jones played Raquel, Del’s love interest. She was pregnant in real life during several episodes—they hid her belly behind handbags and shop counters. The famous scene where she sings “I’m in the Mood for Love” in a karaoke bar? She was actually terrified of singing and had to be bribed with a chocolate bar.

The Villains: Boycie, Trigger, and the Legendary “Marlene”

Roger Lloyd-Pack played Trigger with a face like a slapped bottom. He was a highly respected stage actor before the show; his father was even Charles Dickens’ great-grandson. No, really. Trigger was a family tree of literary genius—wearing a flat cap.

John Challis played Boycie, the smarmy used-car dealer. Challis based Boycie’s laugh on a real hyena he heard at London Zoo. He practiced it for weeks, terrifying his neighbours. The actor once admitted he never owned a car worth more than £500, despite playing a man who sold Rolls-Royces.

And we can’t forget Boycie’s wife Marlene, played by Sue Holderness. She was only 30 when she started, but the perm made her look 50. Her infamous “coughing fit” during the “Jolly Boys’ Outing” episode was completely real—she’d inhaled a Jelly Baby mid-scene.

The Fall and Rise of a Sitcom Dynasty

The show was almost cancelled after the first series. The BBC thought it was too “Cockney and strange.” Then John Sullivan, the writer, rewrote Del Boy to be more lovable, and the rest is history. By 1996, the cast were earning £100,000 per episode—a fortune that made even Del Boy proud.

Today, David Jason is Sir David Jason, and Nicholas Lyndhurst is still a beloved recluse. Buster Merryfield? His bank manager past is now a trivia question in every pub quiz. And the Trotter’s Nidge Trotter nickname? That was a real 1980s slang for a very specific hairstyle.

So next time you watch Del slipping on a bar, remember: these weren’t just actors. They were a bunch of pros who fell, swore, and improvised their way into our hearts. And they did it all while wearing the ugliest cardigans known to humanity. Lovely jubbly.